VOA News
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| Type | International public broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Founded | February 1, 1942 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Owner | Broadcasting Board of Governors |
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Official website
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www.voanews.com |
Voice of America (VOA) is a U.S. government-funded international news source that serves as the United States federal government's official institution for non-military, external broadcasting. As the largest U.S. international broadcaster, VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content in more than 40 languages which it distributes to affiliate stations around the globe. Primarily viewed by foreign audiences, VOA programming has an influence on public opinion abroad regarding the United States and its leaders.
Originally established in 1942, the VOA charter (Public Laws 94-350 and 103-415) was signed into law in 1976 by former President Gerald Ford. The charter contains its mission, "to broadcast accurate, balanced, and comprehensive news and information to an international audience", and defines the legally mandated standards in the VOA journalistic code.
VOA is headquartered in Washington, DC and overseen by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent agency of the U.S. government. Funds are appropriated annually by Congress under the budget for embassies and consulates. In 2016, VOA broadcast an estimated 1,800 hours of radio and TV programming each week to approximately 236.6 million people worldwide with about 1,050 employees and a taxpayer-funded annual budget of US$218.5 million.
Some scholars and commentators consider Voice of America to be a form of propaganda, although this label is disputed by others.
The Voice of America website has five English language broadcasts as of 2014 (worldwide, Special English, Cambodia, Zimbabwe and Tibet). Additionally, the VOA website has versions in 42 foreign languages (radio programs are marked with an asterisk; TV programs with a plus symbol):
The number of languages varies according to the priorities of the United States government and the world situation.
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Wikipedia